Review
IndexesBy
Label Select a label and
all reviews are listed in Catalogue orderBy
MasterworkLinks
from composer names (eg Sibelius) are to resource pages with links to
the review
indexes for the individual works as well as other resources.

LEO BROUWER (1939 - )

By Andy Daly.

I cannot recall the time of year, but
it was 1976 and as an amateur player
I always listened to the late Peter
Sensier's BBC Radio 3 programme "The
Classical Guitar". This edition was
to review the Toronto '75 Guitar Competition.
Before discussing the candidates themselves,
Peter asked the listener to enjoy with
him a performance recorded at the festival,
not by a competitor but by one of the
international soloists who was there
to take master classes. As I listened
it was obvious to me that here was a
player of great expertise, technically
and musically. When it was finished
Peter Sensier remarked

"Now I don't know
how you feel about that, but to me
it embodies all the best aspects of
guitar playing, it's authoritative,
musicianly, it's stamped with the
personality of the soloist and is
full of the sheer joy of playing music
on the guitar"

Peter had put into words
all the feeling I had about the performance.
(Peruvian Folk Song:Danza del Altiplano).

This is my first memory
of that guitarist, Leo Brouwer. I was
to learn that there was a lot more to
this man than just a player.

Leo Brouwer was born Juan Leovigildo
Brouwer in Havana, Cuba on 1st March
1939. He started to play the guitar
at the age of 13, drawn to it by the
sounds of Flamenco and encouraged by
this father, a doctor and himself an
amateur guitarist. His first real teacher
was Isaac Nicola who was a pupil of
Emilo Pujol (1886-1980) who in turn
had been a pupil of Francesco Tárrega
(1852-1909). (Both of the latter are
giants in the world of guitar, not only
as players but as composers and arrangers
of other people's music). So Brouwer
was part of the lineage of artists involved
in different aspects of music through
the instrument and it was natural that
he played the traditional repertoire
of classical and romantic pieces, giving
his first public performance at the
age of 17; but already his composing
was coming to the fore. Prelude
(1956) and Fugue (1959), influenced
by Bartok and Stravinsky, show an early
awareness of music outside the guitar.
To further his musical education he
went to America and studied composition
at the Julliard School and then at Hartt
College in Hartford.

Brouwer's early output
(late 50's to early 60's) naturally
embodies his own Cuban background and
has the Afro-Cuban folk influence and
rhythmic style. A good example of this
period is Elogio de la Danza.
Although for solo guitar, the 2nd movement
is a tribute to the Ballets Russes
(a Stravinsky connection) and it has
been choreographed. There then followed
works like Le Espiral Eterna.
Guitar Concerto No. 1 and Cantincum
the first part of which represents the
process by which an adult insect emerges
from the pupa case and incidentally,
incorporates the unusually rare detuning
of the guitars sixth string to E flat.
(I know of only one other piece where
this is used: Impromptus. No 3 .
by Richard Rodney Bennett, 1936 -).
This period incorporated the use of
serial, 12 tone and open serial modes
which are somewhat avante garde in nature.

The latest period is
almost minimalistic, not going so far
as a Steve Reich, for instances, but
an exploration of this is evident. Brouwer
describes it as a development of a modular
system, Tres Ballades El Decameron
Negro are probably the first in
this style and Hika, In Memoriam
Toru Takemitsu (1996) in memory
of the Japanese composer is the most
recent.

The history of the Classical
Guitar has been well served by its players
and composers in writing technical exercises
and studies for the instrument. Notably,
Fernando Sor (1778-1839), Matteo Carcassi
(1792-1853) and Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959).
To further the physical requirements
of modern guitar playing Brouwer wrote
early in his career Etudes Simples"Nos
1  20 (simple studies). New students
of the guitar should beware of the title,"simple"
they are not!.With these studies Brouwer
has undoubtedly produced a major work
in the development of guitar technique,
making them not only demanding but also
very musical.

As well as original
compositions, Brouwer is an avid arranger
of other composers such as Scott Joplin
Elite Syncopations and The
Entertainer and Lennon and McCartney's
Fool on the Hill. These have
been arranged for solo guitar.

As a prominent figure
of the guitar, Brouwer is often in demand
as a Jury member at Guitar competitions
all over the world. These often require
him to conduct masterclasses and performance
workshops. For the 1979 Esztergom Guitar
competition in Hungary, Brouwer wrote
and conducted Blue Skies and Smile,
a piece performed under the dome of
the Basilica by the Bálint Bakfark
guitar orchestra comprising 200 guitarists;
a recording of which was broadcast by
the BBC. Brouwer is organiser of the
Havana International Guitar Festival
and Competition, which is held every
two years, and is still its Director.

So far we have only
considered Leo Brouwer's association
with the guitar, but his achievements
in music go much further. He is an accomplished
composer for varied media including
chamber and choral works, a modern ballet,
even pieces for wind band as well as
many orchestral works. He has over 60
film scores to his credit, these through
involvement in the Cinema Industry in
Cuba where he was Director of the Music
Department of the Cinema Institute (1961)
and Musical Adviser to the National
Radio and TV company of Havana, as well
as the Professor of Composition in the
Music Conservatory.

As if all this were
not enough, Brouwer is a respected conductor
working with some of the best orchestras
across the world including Philharmonic
Orchestra of Berlin, The National Orchestra
of Scotland, the Langham Chamber Orchestra
and the BBC Concert Orchestra. A recommended
example is Brouwer conducting his own
Concerto Elegiaco with Julian
Bream and the RCA Victor Chamber Orchestra:
RCA 09026 616052 (Julian Bream Edition
Volume 22).

I am sure that Leo Brouwer
will be at the forefront of not only
guitar composition, but all aspects
of music for a long time to come.

Cuban Landscape with Rain(PDF) (MP3)
(to
order)
4 guitars
DO 92 - (SP) 7 min., level
2-3, 14,00$
This interesting work by the
famous Cuban composer uses
minimalist techniques. Although
it is not difficult it demands
a very careful interpretation.

Acerca del cielo, el aire
y la sonrisa(PDF)
(to
order)
guitar ensemble
DO 142 - (S, 8 P) 10 min.,
level 3-4, 29,00$
Version for 8 guitars of the
work written for the Esztergom
Festival in Hungary. Brouwer
makes skillful use of all
of the tonal colors of the
guitar.

DO 100A - (guitar part) 18,00$
This superb concerto was commissioned
by the Guitar Society of Toronto
where it was first performed
on June 26th, 1987 during
the International Guitar Festival.
John Williams was the soloist
and the orchestra was conducted
by Leo Brouwer.

Reviews
from previous monthsJoin the mailing list and receive a hyperlinked weekly update on the
discs reviewed. detailsWe welcome feedback on our reviews. Please use the Bulletin
Board
Please paste in the first line of your comments the URL of the review to
which you refer.